Rodgers, Carter Demand EPA Explain Hiring of Nearly 2000 New Staff
TL/DR –
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials Subcommittee Chair Buddy Carter have written to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) concerning the agency’s recent hiring surge. This hiring influx was facilitated by the Inflation Reduction Act which has provided substantial resources to the EPA, enabling the hiring of around 2,000 new employees. The Chairs are seeking detailed information on the total number of employees at the EPA, including a breakdown of full-time equivalent employees, contractors paid with EPA funds, and changes in these numbers since January 2021.
Republicans Seek Clarity on EPA’s Hiring Spree
Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials Subcommittee Chair Buddy Carter (R-GA) have raised concerns over the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) hiring influx. The provocative Inflation Reduction Act has fueled the EPA’s resources, resulting in nearly 2,000 new hires.
The Climate Change Agenda
Breitbart initially reported that Rodgers and Carter requested comprehensive information about the EPA’s strategies to enforce President Joe Biden’s climate change agenda. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act along with the Inflation Reduction Act are seen to include large provisions to stimulate the green industry. The $700 billion Inflation Reduction Act, in particular, plans to dedicate hundreds of billions of dollars to combat climate change.
Searching for Answers
The chairs are probing into various details about the EPA’s workforce. They are interested in the total number of employees at the EPA’s headquarters and regional branches, including a detailed breakdown of full-time employees, contractors paid with EPA funds, and their pay scales. Changes in these figures since January 2021 are also being closely examined.
The same data is sought about the staff within the individual offices of the Administrator, Air and Radiation, Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, Chief Financial Officer, Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights, General Counsel, Inspector General, International and Tribal Affairs, Land and Emergency Management, Mission Support, Research and Development, and Water.
Specifically for the Office of Research and Development, details about the workforce within each of its centers are also being asked. Additional questions revolve around the program and regional laboratories, the offices where the new employees have been assigned, and the number of employees who left the agency in 2023.
Lastly, they are seeking information about the total number of contractors and special consultants working for the EPA and how these numbers have evolved since January 2021.
The full article from Breitbart can be read here. The complete letter is available to view here.
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